Raife: An Aquadomina Novel (15 page)

Gesturing to her guard, she motioned for them to be taken away. Turning
to Raife, she moved into his arms. “I believe you owe me a dance.”

They were guests in Wildehaven. She had woken the morning after her
Welcome Celebration in Terragale to the sight of four giant Viking style
longships anchored outside her window. They had met with Meric that same day
and made arrangements to travel to Norhurst first. She didn’t want to snub the
people of that Kingdom by missing her celebration party there. Meric said he
didn’t mind since it was in the right direction anyway. It hadn’t taken her
long to get the adjudicators of Terragale in line before leaving. Most of those
that were in Ri’Carn’s pocked had fled and the ones that tried to lie their way
past her failed. All of the adjudicators now working in Terragale were
trustworthy. Since Terragale was straightened out, they had left for Norhurst.

It had been with great pomp and fanfare that their traveling armada had
arrived at the docks of Norhurst six suns later. If the leadership of that
Kingdom were un-nerved by the sight of her escort, they didn’t show it. Meric
had only allowed his four Honorates to leave the ships. Everyone else had
remained on board. She had to think those poor men were going stir crazy by
now, so she had arranged for their departure to Wildehaven the day after her Welcome
Celebration at Norhurst.

The night of that party, she had worn a dark emerald state dress. Raife
had requested it since it was his favorite color. It reminded him of his
childhood in Norhurst he said, so she had readily agreed. She had Allie take
extra care with her appearance because it was at the celebration that she going
to meet Raife’s parents. They were landholders in Norhurst and had been invited
to the celebration at her insistence. Only councilmembers and delegates were
usually allowed in, Sophie made it known her feelings for Raife with the
addition of his parents to the list. She had instantly taken a liking to them,
and there were multiple plans put in place to see each other again.
 

News had spread quickly that she was coming and some of the adjudicators
had done the same as Terragale…fled before she arrived. The ones that remained,
she was able to vouch for and get everything moving in Norhurst for new trials.
The new adjudicator for the district that Raife lived in was already at work looking
at cases. Debb had made sure that Raife’s brother was high on the priority
list. Sophie had sent Debb ahead of her to plan a surprise for Raife. She
hadn’t expected this would be it. At the time, she was just hoping to get him
some time with his parents. It was pretty clear to the new adjudicator that
Raife’s brother had not committed the crime he was accused of and his case was
going to be one of the first to be overruled. Rand would be a free man soon.
What he decided to do with his freedom remained to be seen. The only cases the
new council would see were the ones in a grey area, or truly guilty so that the
council could decide it. Sophie would be able to “see” their guilt and would
expedite as many cases as she could. Raife’s brother was not a case she would
see.

That was all for the future. Right now, she was at yet another dinner
party in Wildehaven. When they had first docked, she had been surprised to see
that this had the feel of a village more than it did a city or Kingdom. It was
piecemealed together and in need of desperate repair to her eyes. The people
were another matter. They were friendly, open and exuberant. King Marius had
greeted her and welcomed her then without preamble the partying had begun. To
her knowledge, the party was still going on. She didn’t think it had stopped in
the two days they had been here.

She was suddenly pulled into conversation by King Marius, “Are you
enjoying the festivities?”

“Yes.” She took a small bite of fish. That had been another shock to her
system. Meat. After all these weeks on a vegetarian diet, she had been served
meat here in Wildehaven. Maureen was having fits that they even ate meat. Her
stomach was having fits because she wasn’t used to meat but she couldn’t
decline the food they presented her with. They were very steeped in tradition
and a more stubborn, proud people she hadn’t met. Therefore, she was eating
what they placed before her and having a conversation with the King while all
around her a party raged. “It is all very exciting and I am having a wonderful
time.”

Sophie was hoping that the Kind of Wildehaven would get to the
concessions he wanted soon. She was beginning to wonder if he wanted her to
stay here forever. Every time she tried to swing the topic to what he required
to join the alliance again, he changed the subject. She didn’t want to alienate
him, but with the transition of adjudicators already accomplished, she was
beginning to think that Wildehurst needed them more than the rest of Aquadomina
needed Wildehurst.

“The Gathering is tonight.” The King spoke almost casually, “Meric tells
me that he has convinced you to participate.”

“Yes.” Sophie answered back absentmindedly, “He told me that it was a
special party and all of the females are going.” She had argued with Raife over
this “Gathering” party. He didn’t like the way Meric had tried to strong-arm
her into going to it, and Sophie had to admit he had a point. Meric had
practically begged, bribed and blackmailed her to attend. For a people as proud
as they were, the begging part was almost unheard of. She had finally relented
because quite frankly she was interested in where the other females were. She
hadn’t seen nearly the amount of women you would think a Kingdom the size of
Wildehaven should have. She had been told that the Queen had passed a few years
ago of a common ailment. When she had inquired further, she was told that most
women of a certain age caught and passed from the same thing. So that explained
why there were so few “aged” women…but where were the young ones? She supposed
she would find out tonight.

“Yes. That is true.” The King had taken a large swallow of his drink.
With dinner tonight, they were being served a beverage that reminded her of
wine. Only it was stronger and highly alcoholic.

She took a baby sip of her wine, “Is The Gathering to take place soon?”
She asked and took another sip of her drink.

“Soon.” The King replied, looking her over. “Very soon.”

“That’s nice.” Sophie sighed at the warm feeling in her stomach and how
it was spreading through all of her limbs. She could feel her face flushing and
wondered how much wine she had consumed. Pushing her glass away she turned to
Raife and was amazed that he seemed to be so far away one minute, then close
the next. “I think I may have had too much wine.” She whispered, and then
laughed at how slurred her words came out.

“I will have someone escort you to The Gathering. It might be best if you
are just a spectator this time.” The King snapped his fingers and two of his
guards were instantly at her elbows helping her up. Raife went to stand but was
pushed back into his seat by two more guards standing over him.

“The Gathering is not for everyone.” The King insisted. “You should
remain here.”

“I go where The Chosen goes.” She heard Raife as if from a long distance.

“Yes.” She was laughing drunkenly at the floating feeling she had. “Let
Raife come with us.” She looked down and it did look like she wasn’t touching
the ground. “Look Raife, I’m floating.” Then she laughed some more, because it
felt so good to do so. The vibrations of her laughter were running along her
body, she was startled to realize that she was aroused by her own laughter.
Which made her laugh all the more. Everything was suddenly so funny. She hadn’t
been paying attention to where she was going, so it was a surprise to realize
she was outside by a large pool of water. It didn’t even register that Raife
was nowhere around.

She looked to the guards holding her arms and playfully bumped one of
them with her hip. “What’s in the water?” Before he could answer, she hip
bumped the other one. “You’ve got such a baby face, how old are you?” Then she
ignored both men to look into the water. She could see large objects swimming
along and wondered what they might be. As she stood there staring down, one of
the guards used a blade and sliced her corset ties. It fell with a loud clunk
onto the dock. He ignored her sharp gasp then used the blade on her dress. Just
when she drew breath to blast both guards, she was suddenly tossed in.

Well I like that! She thought to herself as she hit the water. Just
thrown in the damn pool, and half-naked for good measure! For some odd reason
she didn’t think to panic, she just laughed. Which caused the oddly arousing
sensation she had felt before. Here we go again. She needed to get a hold of
herself. Her eyebrow went up at the naughty thought.
 
“Get a hold of herself…get it?” She turned in
a circle and realized she was talking to herself. There was no one else in here
with her. The objects that she thought she had seen floating in the water were
moving closer. Or was it farther way? She couldn’t seem to focus.

Looking up she noticed the male guards were gone. Maybe she could make it
to the dock and pull herself out. She stated kicking in that direction when suddenly
there were splashing sounds from all directions and she stopped. Swimming
around her were a few other women.

She wanted to be friendly so called out, “Hello.”

One blonde haired beauty across from her whispered back, “Are you mad?
Shh.”

Well that wasn’t very friendly. “I just—”

Another one held up her hand and tried to swim at the same time. “Stop
talking.” She looked around, “They will hear you.” She whispered.

“Who—” Her question went unheard. With a shriek, the two women she had
been able to see and others in the shadows had all started flailing
frantically. Sophie wasn’t sure they were going anywhere in their attempts, and
for some reason found this funny too. Her laughter echoed around the pool and
didn’t stop until a female popped up in front of her.

She was strikingly pretty. With a pale face, smattered with freckles
across her button nose. Pitch-black hair floated around her in the water and
Sophie noticed her black eyelashes and eyebrows framed the greyest eyes she had
ever seen. They looked like charcoal smoke. Her cupid bow mouth was lifted in
what Sophie hoped was a friendly smile. Whatever they had dosed her drink with,
and she knew it had to be something, had made her loopy.

“Hello.” The black-haired beauties voice sounded friendly. “Are you The
Chosen?”

“Why yes.” Sophie smiled back, “Yes I am.” She held out her hand and
realized that she wasn’t pruning from the water and though she should be, she
wasn’t cold. Fanning her fingers in front of her face she stared at her
fingers. The really did look like little sausages to her. How odd. Realizing
there was a female in front of her Sophie was startled for a second. “Oh.
Hello. It is nice to meet you…I am The Chosen. Cho-s-
ennnn
.”
She slurred out drunkenly. “I didn’t catch your name.” Sophie held out her
hand.

“That is because I didn’t say it…and we haven’t met before now.” The
woman stared at her hand and then back to her face.

“You shake hands.” Sophie splashed around in the water and grabbed the
other females hand. “Like this.” She jerked her hand up and down.

“Ohh. I am Adina. It is nice to meet you.” She looked around at the other
frantic women, “What a bunch of idiots.”

Sophie snorted with amusement, “That isn’t very nice to say about your
own people.”

“I may have grown up with some of them, but they are still idiots.” She
sighed loudly, “They take this Gathering stuff way too seriously.”

“Can you tell me what is going on?” Sophie asked, “I should be getting
tired treading water like this, but I’m not. I feel like I am drunk, but I
barely sipped the wine and what is swimming around in here with us?”

Adina laughed, “The Gathering is going on.” She pointed at the
floundering women, “Those fools are making enough noise to attract attention
because secretly or openly they want to be caught.” She looked back to Sophie,
“As for why you are not tired. It’s the water. It has strange properties, that
is why the men like to swim in here. The more women get chosen, the calmer the
water and you’ll see.” Adina finally finished with why she felt drunk, “You
have to be dosed to enter this water.”

“So what exactly is The Gathering?” Sophie asked and spun around suddenly
when there was an unholy sound behind her. The blond-haired female that had
asked her to stop talking was gone. “What the hell?” Sophie exclaimed a tad too
loudly.

“Shh.” Adina looked around apprehensively for a second. “Not so loud.”
When she felt calm, Adina answered her, “The Gathering is just what it sounds
like. The males are gathering, or choosing their mate.”

“The males?” Sophie looked around for any male faces bobbing in the water
and didn’t see any. “There aren’t any males in the pool with us.” Then it
dawned on her. “The larger figures in the water? Those are the males?” She felt
the insane urge to laugh again at the absurdity of her conclusion and fought
it.

“Yes.” Adina nodded. “I told you this pool has special properties.” She
peered into the water. “The males have the ability to swim underwater for long
periods of time. The only upside for me is that they have really bad eyesight
and poor hearing. You have to be really loud or thrashing a lot for them to
find you. Some of the archives or history of The Gathering says that they “see”
their mate in the water and no one else.” She shrugged one dainty shoulder, “I
don’t know if that is true. I was in my first gathering at five thousand six
hundred suns.” Sophie calculated and figured that would have been about
eighteen Earth years. She listened intently as Adina continued, “I have been in
five gatherings total now and have managed to make it out without a mate.” She
laughed huskily, “Which is fine with me.”

Sophie jumped again when another female disappeared with a scream. “Where
are they going? I don’t see them disappearing.”

“The males are extremely fast.” She swam closer, “At the end of the last
gathering I was able to see one couple.” She pointed to the dock. “The male
just kind of jumped out of the water and kept running. The female wasn’t
protesting too much. I think whatever they dose us with is a type of
aphrodisiac.”

Sophie could believe that. She had been ignoring it but there was some
definite heat in her lower nether region. Every time she kicked her legs she
wanted to groan but had been fighting it. Adina would think she was some kind
of pervert if she got off from treading water.

“How long do we have to stay out here?” Sophie wondered aloud to Adina.

The other woman looked at her, “Well not long usually. However, I think
this time might be a bit different.”

“How so?” Sophie was puzzled by the assumption.

“You.” Adina stated calmly. “I think the King wants one of the males to
find you. That is why his son Meric is in this Gathering. He has never been in
any of the others.”

“Me?” Sophie struggled through the drug-induced daze, “I see.” She was
beginning to anyway. If one of the Wildehurst males “caught” her, then she
would be bound by their laws as his mate.

“I already have a Chosen Consort.” She replied smugly. “I’m sorry to
disappoint whatever plans your King has—”

Adina laughed again, “Don’t you know?” When Sophie just looked at her
blankly, She put her hand on her shoulder in sympathy, “The Chosen can have any
number of consorts. If a Wildehurst male catches you, he would be Second
Consort. Consorts have the right to fight for position in the ranks. He could
potentially challenge the First Consort. I am assuming that hunky guard that is
always at your side, Rolfe was his name?”

That information managed to get into her drugged brain. “His name is
Raife. Whatever plans your King might have are wasted. I don’t know how it
worked before but I only need one Consort and he has already been chosen.”
Sophie snapped and for once since this evening’s dinner, she didn’t feel like
laughing at all.

“I don’t know how you get out of—” Adina’s voice cut off and Sophie knew
why. She felt it too. The hair on her neck was standing on end. They were being
hunted.

“Back away from me slowly Adina.” Sophie whispered. Both women started to
kick away from each other. It was too late. With a speed that astonished her
Sophie felt something big streak past and Adina was gone. Before she could
scream or thrash she was grabbed and “flying” through the water. With barely
any jostling the male holding her jumped out of the water and landed on the
dock. She was suddenly thrown over a rock-hard shoulder and there was cold air
flowing over her heated body.

“You put me down right now!” She shrieked. The male running with her
didn’t slow down, in fact if anything he picked up speed. She lost sight of
everything in her upside down state. All she could see was the ground and a
nice pair of legs if she did have to say so.

One second she was upside down, the next she heard a door slam and she
was tossed onto a bed. Her hair was flying all around her face and she couldn’t
see a thing. “If you touch me it is rape!” She yelled at her assailant.

“I’m sorry to hear that my love. Because I am going to touch every inch
of you.” A deep voice growled out.

“Raife!?” Sophie didn’t have time to register anything else before he was
on her.